U.S. has new rival in China, but still leads world in sports

LONDON -- The Soviet Union has been disbanded and replaced. China is the new threat to our global dominance.

But as the 2012 London Games approach the finish line, this hasn't changed:

We remain the world champions of sport.

Take a bow, America. A sensational late kick has all but guaranteed the U.S. will once again take home more medals than any other country on the planet.

This is generally a cause for indifference. The medal count is ignored in our country because the Summer Olympics are perceived as a television show, and they don't include many of our favorite sports (football, baseball, golf). But that's exactly why it should matter, and why you should be proud.

As the world shrinks and a new communist country plots our Olympic downfall, it's comforting to see the flag is still there, flapping higher than the rest.

"There was a lot of speculation about where we would finish as a team, and a lot of people predicted we'd finish second. Some even suggested third," United States Olympic Committee Chairman Larry Probst said. "So we're extremely proud of what our team has accomplished and what our athletes have accomplished, and yeah, we like to come in first. There's nothing wrong with that. ... I like to hear the 'Star-Spangled Banner' a lot."

Out with the old

From architecture to rivals, the London Games offered a stunning blend of the old and new. They marked the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where the Cold War raged, a Soviet gymnast warmed our hearts and the dark specter of international terrorism was spawned.

For Olga Korbut, who won three gymnastics gold medals and the hearts of millions in 1972, not much had changed.

"I felt like I was 17 again," said Korbut, who lives in Scottsdale. "I wanted to jump out of my chair onto the bars and beam and show them how to be perfect, smiling and performing from your heart."

At these Olympics, Korbut was mobbed by autograph requests and adoring fans. She not only revolutionized her sport, her gilded personality caused a brief bout of global warming 40 years ago.

She was also among a new breed: the Olympian who becomes an overnight celebrity.

"I remember meeting President Nixon in 1973," Korbut said. "He said to me, 'For a little girl, you changed the world. What we couldn't do in five years, you did in one minute.' "

This year, the Russian men's basketball team had a wonderful tournament, nearly earning a gold-medal rematch against Team USA. That would've been a spectacle.

It was the Soviet Union that handed the U.S. its first-ever loss in Olympic basketball, winning the gold-medal game in 1972, 51-50. The game was marred by a controversial ending, as the Soviets were granted multiple attempts at the game-winning shot, eventually hitting a buzzer-beater for the victory. The U.S. players believed they were cheated and refused to claim their silver medals.

"In time, I think many (American players) have realized it's a little bit different than what it appeared to be then, and the countries have changed so much, and the sport has changed so much," said Russia coach Dave Blatt, who holds dual American and Israeli citizenship. "And, obviously, that matchup wouldn't have been USSR-America. It would've been two countries that are friendly, basically. ...

"But the significant event of that 40th anniversary would be the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and the beginning of what we know today as the terrorist threat that is plaguing mankind every day."

A new nemesis

The legacy from the 2012 Olympics isn't so clear. Are they the Girl Games, where all sports and all nations featured female competitors, where the U.S. women contributed a wide array of great performances? Are they the property of Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt, two of the greatest Olympians in history? Or are they just a prelude to a mighty struggle?

From the Far East, Team China continues to close the gap, even without the home-field advantage it enjoyed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Their decision to invest massively into sports is paying off, even if their priorities have come under scrutiny.

One of their swimmers, Yi Shiwen, was subjected to doping allegations. One of their badminton teams was disqualified for tanking a match to attain a more favorable opponent in the medal round. One of their divers, Qiu Bo, famously went to a sports school at age 4. Another diver, Wu Minxia, learned two family secrets after winning a gold medal: Her grandmother had died more than a year ago, and her mother was battling breast cancer.

Her parents didn't want the truth to interfere with her diving career.

"We accepted a long time ago that she didn't belong to us," her father told the Shanghai Morning Post. "I don't even dare to think about things like enjoying family happiness."

Contrast that with the U.S., where patriotism often pales to our dogged pursuit of personal happiness.

Yet one Chinese journalist said that her country has become "more tolerant and more relaxed" after its success in 2008. That point is echoed by Gao Ao, who plays for China's water-polo team and attends Arizona State University.

"I think in the past, yes, but not anymore," Ao said. "We are not that terrible. (But) the government really pays attention to the sport, so they devote more time for training. They (give) great team support. That's why we have so many medals."

So the race is on. From the pool to the track to the soccer stadium and back, the great showings from U.S. athletes have created strong momentum. While we might forget about the Olympics in the coming weeks, the U.S. Olympic Committee has a great chance to move this triumph forward and recruit more sponsors.

"We had 25 to 30 athletes that finished fourth, just off the podium," said Scott Blackmun, the USOC's chief executive officer. "Those stories as well as the great stories of the people on the podium resonate with people. They resonate with people who buy the products of our sponsors. They resonate with people who watch NBC's great broadcast. So it's definitely a factor."

More importantly, the 2012 Games should spark a groundswell of interest among young American athletes.

"The saying here is, 'Inspire a Generation.' And I think no matter woman athlete or male athlete, I think that's what we've done," swimmer Missy Franklin said. "I think we've been able to come out here and get all the young athletes in the U.S. excited, trying new sports, trying new things. They're the future."

That future that promises to be very interesting, especially with a new Olympic rival that looks very familiar.